DMK suspended S Selvakumar, a former Perambalur district functionary for physically assaulting a woman in May. The suspension was announced through a press release on Thursday, which said, “The party suspends him from basic membership and all party posts due to actions that go beyond the code of conduct of the party and for defaming the party.”

The order of suspension signed by the DMK General Secretary, K Anbazhagan, came after CCTV footage of the assault went viral on WhatsApp and other social media.

The video shows S Selvakumar speaking to a woman near the billing counter inside a parlour, while three other women watch over. A few seconds later, he pulls up his dhoti and kicks the woman. As the kicks become more brutal, the other women try to hold him back, as one grabs on to his hand. Selvakumar, however, refuses to relent, and then puts his hand around the victim’s neck and pushes her onto the floor, where he continues to kick her.

Another video clip shows him conversing with the woman for a few seconds, before he once again starts kicking her, as the others try to restrain him. While the other women appear to try and pacify him, Selvakumar, kicks the woman to her chest. He continues his assault as the woman goes out of the frame.

According to the police, the incident happened in May at the Mayuri Beauty Parlour in Perambalur Old Bus Stand. Sathya, who owns the parlour, allegedly had financial dealings with Selvakumar, who ran a furniture shop in Perambalur. On the day of the incident, Selvakumar had visited the beauty parlour to meet Sathya and discuss their monetary transactions. Things heated up with the argument turning violent, as Selvakumar brutally kicked and assaulted Sathya.

However, according to the police, Sathya chose to file a complaint only recently, months after the assault.

“We saw the video only yesterday (Wednesday) and based on the woman’s complaint, we have arrested Selvakumar and will remand him today (Thursday). The intention behind releasing the video is not yet known and we are questioning Sathya regarding that,” a police officer told TNM.

Selvakumar, who resides in Annamangalam area in Perambalur, was a councillor from DMK.

This isn’t the first such incident of its kind involving a DMK member. Recently, a DMK man and his friend were arrested in Tiruvannamalai for attacking and injuring the owner of a cell phone shop.

In August, a few DMK men visited a biryani shop in Chennai and assaulted the employees in the shop demanding free food. As a consequence, the party had taken disciplinary action on the persons involved in that incident.